The exhibition, which runs through May 18, goes beyond the iconic image on the dollar bill to reveal the real George Washington as not only a general and president but as a young land surveyor, experimental farmer, and savvy entrepreneur.Washington’s views on religion and slavery, and the influence of his wife, Martha, are also explored in this exhibition which features life-size figures ofWashingtondeveloped through a cutting-edge forensic investigation, engaging videos, original artifacts, intricate three-dimensional architectural models, and interactive displays. A dedicated web site (DiscoverGeorgeWashington.org) and extensive educational programming are designed to enhance the exhibition and visitor experience.

“Although over a million people come to walk inWashington’s footsteps atMount Vernoneach year, we know that not everyone will have a chance to visit his home,” said Jim Rees, executive director ofMount Vernon. “We wanted to bring the fascinating story ofWashington’s life to people around the country by showing a wide variety of compelling personal belongings and some intriguing elements from our new Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center.”

The exhibition is presented in 11 sections, ranging fromWashington’s youth to his final days. In addition toWashington’s dentures, paintings, books, maps, and objects such as surveying equipment, Revolutionary War armaments, tools used by slaves, and presidential table settings are among the artifacts featured in the exhibition. Mrs.Washingtonis represented by original jewelry, pieces of her china, silver, and glassware, and reproductions of her gold wedding dress and purple satin slippers.

Three life-size models of George Washington were assembled from a two-year forensic study where computer scientists, art historians, 18th-century garment experts, and a forensic scientist used technology and research from primary sources to measure and analyze portraits, sculpture, and Washington’s dentures and clothing. The project employed proprietary age-progression and regression techniques to create three depictions ofWashingtonas a teenaged surveyor, commander-in-chief atop a white horse, and as the first president taking the oath of office. These lifelike wax figures, with real human hair that was implanted one strand at a time, are embedded in realistic settings – one even with animation – that re-create scenes in the woodsyOhioValleyterritory, wintryValley Forge, and on the balcony of Federal Hall.

The fascinating process of creating the figures is shown in a video by The History Channel, which also produced five other videos in the exhibition on religion, espionage, slavery,Washington’s dentures, and his state-of-the-art gristmill.

A full-size, functional replica ofWashington’s pew atPohickChurchand detailed models ofFortNecessityandWashington’s Mansion and estate, gristmill, and innovative 16-sided treading barn bring large structures to the exhibition in a scalable manner, while interactive touch screens encourage interactivity.

Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernonwas organized by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, a philanthropic organization founded in 1954 by the late media entrepreneur for whom it is named. The exhibition was designed by MFM Design, Inc. and fabricated by Explus, Inc. The forensic figures of George Washington were created by StudioEIS.

(www.reaganlibrary.com)

The lantern festival will be among the first displays of its kind and size in the United States. A team of artisans from Zigong in the western province of Sichuan, the center of the lantern-making industry in China, will spend two months in residence at the Missouri Botanical Garden  to construct 26 lantern scenes from scratch. (www.mobot.org/lanternfestival)

Dinosaurs Unearthed (March 3-July features 14 animatronics, 2 full-size skeletons, 22 fossils and a dig pit for children. In settings with giant wall graphics depicting naturalistic landscapes, guests will have a chance to experience what it’s like to stand near the crushing 10-foot leg of a roaring Tyrannosaurus rex and witness the thrashing tail of a feathered Velociraptor.

Through a partnership with the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, the exhibit Anne Frank: A History for Today will be at the Putnam Museum from March 31-May 28 as part of over two months of programming throughout the Quad Cities area promoting the lessons learned from Anne Frank and the Holocaust.

The story of Anne Frank and her family is juxtaposed against world events before, during and after the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. The exhibit includes photographs of the Frank family and the other occupants of the Secret Annex and shows how people were persecuted by political decisions and by the actions of individuals. Implicit in the exhibit are the themes of scapegoating, bullying, anti-Semitism, racism, ethnic cleansing and genocide. (www.putnam.org)

Bermuda’s first-ever “College Week Reunion,” runs March 15-18 and includes hotel stay and three-day special event passes. It’s a nod to Bermuda’s famed College Weeks of the 1960s and 1970s (see the nostalgic video below for some campy footage.)

“The College Week Reunion will be a great way for folks who may have visited Bermuda during the heyday of their youth to come back and enjoy the island as an adult,” Wayne Furbert, Minister of Business Development and Tourism, stated in a press release. “We felt it was about time that adults get to experience their own grown-up Spring Break in a setting that fits their desires for a relaxing, sophisticated experience.”

Doris Gallan, a travel blogger and author of “The Boomers’ Guide to Going Abroad to Travel * Live * Give * Learn,” said she sees a potentially hot market for boomer spring break reunions. But post 50s should be wary of deals that are marketed simultaneously to the current college crowd.

“Bermuda’s idea of combining a week away with a college reunion and some reminiscing is a great idea,” Gallan noted in an email. But what boomers don’t want is “actual college kids, loud and drunken parties, all-inclusive resorts that insulate them from the culture of the area (and) tours that shuttle them from one place to another without enough time to enjoy a site,” she added.

via Spring Break For Post 50s?.

Spotlight is casual and intimate and is not just about networking – but about building mutually successful and long-lasting business relationships. New tour itineraries to off the beaten path destinations are highlighted, using the closest Southwestern gateway cities as arrival and departure points.

Anne Basile from Mirage Tours comments, “Spotlight is one of my favorite annual conferences. It is great for developing relationships as I have made so many good business contacts and friends over the years.  I have attended 12 of the 13 past conferences and encourage other operators to attend.”

“I like to attend Spotlight because I get to meet with operators who don’t attend NTA, ABA, or any other show.  It’s a loyal group of tour operators who produce,” states Kevin Rice from the Palm Springs and Desert Resorts CVA. “Spotlight is one of the most enjoyable conferences that I have ever attended,” adds Bernadette Anthony from CasaBlanca Resort in Mesquite, NV. “It was a pleasure to meet new colleagues and get reacquainted with friends from the past.  I attended the conference as a supplier, but feel like I left as a true partner.”

A Pre-Fam, March 24-26, 2012, is sponsored by the San Diego CVB and will highlight San Diego’s favorite tour attractions, including SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, and the USS Midway.  Exploring LaJolla is also on the agenda for fam attendees.

The Spotlight Conference itself will begin on March 26with a welcome reception, sponsored by Bartell Hotels. March 27 will feature a seminar entitled “Selling Passion” followed by a two-hour trade show.  Travel Planners will be asked to take notes on special themes which evoke passion, thus creating new niche itineraries to different southwest regions.  Lunch will be followed by an itinerary planning workshop. Then a progressive dinner around San Diego will conclude the day.

The final morning Navajo Nation Hospitality will sponsor the tour operator breakfast which features a discussion on the power of social networking.

Anyone interested in tourism to the Southwest can join the Group “Spotlight on the Southwest” on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=114998145199522.

For more information please visit www.spotlightsw.com or call 480-926-5547.

Navy Pier, in fact, is Chicago’s—and the Midwest’s—most popular tourist attraction, drawing more than eight million people a year. The lakeside visitor magnet, best known for its giant Ferris wheel, offers more than 50 acres of parks, gardens, restaurants, shops, museums, theaters and exposition halls.

Chicago’s Navy Pier juts more than a half mile into Lake Michigan. (Photo credit: City of Chicago/GRC)

Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility and once a University of Illinois campus, Navy Pier, just east of downtown, is gearing up for its centennial with ambitious plans for redevelopment, including more green space. A key goal is to maintain the Pier’s family appeal while drawing more adults and year-round visitors with more dining and entertainment options and more public spaces that take full advantage of the Pier’s unique setting.

Despite all its attractions and activities, Navy Pier’s lure for many is the festive ambience along Dock Street, where vendors and street entertainers mix with pedestrians, skaters and surrey cycles. Visitors come to take in views of the boats, the skyline, the outdoor sculptures—and to just people-watch.

Shoreline Sightseeing this year offers new private tours aboard the Celebration. From spring through fall, groups of 30 to 70 can take a 90-minute breakfast cruise or two-hour lunch cruise. Shoreline also offers its popular one-hour Chicago River Architecture Cruise and 30-minute Skyline Lake Tour, with group rates for 20 or more.

For something less traditional, try Seadog Cruises’ speedboat tours. Its Extreme Thrill Ride, a 30-minute speedboat ride on Lake Michigan, provides roller coaster action at speeds up to 40 m.p.h. Everyone gets wet and windswept as the boat makes sharp turns and 360-degree spins.

A variety of cruise boats departs from Navy Pier for excursions on Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. (Photo credit: City of Chicago/GRC)

Tall Ship Windy is Navy Pier’s resident 148-foot, four-masted schooner. Windy takes up to 150 passengers on 90-minute cruises and encourages landlubbers to help raise and trim her 11 sails. Theme cruises, educational adventures and private charters are available.

Dinner cruises, along with live entertainment or a DJ for dancing, are available on the yacht-like Odyssey, Spirit of Chicago and Mystic Blue, all part of Entertainment Cruises.

Groups can choose from a wide range of other dining options at Navy Pier. Restaurants include Harry Caray’s Tavern, full of baseball and other sports memorabilia; Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Bar & Grill, for classic American and island-inspired cuisine, including the signature Cheeseburger in Paradise; and Billy Goat Tavern, made famous in Saturday Night Live skits starring the late John Belushi. Other choices: Capi’s Italian Kitchen, Riva Crab House, Haagen-Dazs Cafe and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. LandsharkBeerGarden, a summertime favorite, offers live entertainment.

Prepaid vouchers for fast-food outlets are priced at $6.50 per person for groups of 20 or more. Participating eateries include America’s Dog, Connie’s Pizza, McDonald’s and Greek Delight. For McDonald’s only, a $5 voucher is good for a Quarter Pounder, medium fries, cookie and 16-oz. soda.

Group rates are also available for Navy Pier rides and amusements. Rates range from $4.50 for one ride to $12 for all four rides and the 18-hole miniature golf course. Navy Pier’s signature ride, the 15-story-high Ferris wheel, is modeled after the Ferris wheel built for Chicago’s 1893 Columbian Exposition. Other rides are the Carousel, Wave Swinger and Lighthouse drop tower.

Navy Pier offers top-notch entertainment year-round, from circus acts and Shakespeare to the 440-seat IMAX Theatre. The Chicago Shakespeare Theater, for example, is presenting the comedy A Midsummer’s Night Dream from Feb. 7-April 8.

From Feb. 17-26, Navy Pier hosts the Windy City Circus, a Chicago-themed Big Top show with aerial and trapeze artists, clowns, jugglers, and horse and dog acts. Cirque Shanghai, a troupe of Chinese acrobats, has been dazzling crowds for the past several summers.

The free Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows is a permanent display of 150 stained glass windows housed in an 800-ft.-long series of galleries along the lower level terraces of Navy Pier’s Festival Hall. The first museum in the United States dedicated solely to stained glass windows, it showcases both secular and religious windows and is divided by artistic theme into four categories: Victorian, Prairie, Modern and Contemporary. Dating from 1870 to the present, most were originally installed in Chicago-area residential, commercial and religious buildings. Thirteen windows highlight the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany and his workshop from 1890-1930.

The Chicago Children’s Museum, one of Navy Pier’s anchors, offers three level of fun for ages 10 and under.

Navy Pier also hosts a variety of expos. Reflecting the influence of high fashion on landscape design, the annual Chicago Flower & Garden Show will celebrate “Hort Couture” from March 10-18. Group rates and tours are available. The region’s only consumer show of its kind will feature an eye-candy array of floral and plant containers, horticultural and greening displays and stylized gardens, plus cooking demonstrations and celebrity appearances. More than 100 exhibitors of gardening, landscape and horticulture products and services will showcase sustainable and eco-friendly wares.

For help in arranging group visits to Navy Pier, contact the group sales department at groupsales@navypier.com, 312-595-5200. The website is www.navypier.com

In the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri, Branson is celebrating its centennial with special events. Our article “Branson at the Century Mark” not only updates readers on 2012 happenings but looks back at Branson’s past and how it became the “Live Music Show Capital of the World.”

Native American heritage takes center stage in the articles on New Mexico Indian festivals and the Cherokee Nation of Northeast Oklahoma.

“Orlando Shopping Magnets” covers the retail scene from malls to theme parks, while “Antiquing in Connecticut” spotlights the Litchfield Hills region. Shopping is also the focus of Marty de Souto’s column “Shopping Shouldn’t Be a Nuisance on Tour” and the column by shopping industry consultant Carolyn Feimster, who offers tips for tour group planners.

Shopping is also a highlight for groups touring Roanoke, Va. Managing editor Randy Mink talks about the Historic Market District and other downtown attractions in this city nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. His article on Grapevine, Texas extolls the virtues of another great shopping town, one with a thriving Main Street flavored with Old West history.

What do you look for when shopping for new tour itineraries? Our readers answer that question in On the Record.

Karen Axelrod, author of Watch It Made in the U.S.A., singles out some of her favorites tours in the feature “10 Top Factory Tours.” Among her selections: Jelly Belly, Boeing, KitchenAid and Harley-Davidson.

Features

Branson at the Century Mark

Orlando Shopping Magnets

Roaming Roanoke

Grapevine: Vintage Texas

Antiquing in Connecticut

New Mexico’s Cultural Mosaic

Oklahoma’s Cherokee Heritage

10 Top Factory Tours

Columns

The More Things Change, the More Others Stay…Better

Shopping Shouldn’t Be a Nuisance on Tour

Shopping: It’s More Than Just Buying

Keeping Up-to-Date in a Tech-Savvy World

Departments

Searching for New Itineraries

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Desiree Ozburn of First State Bank Shannon-Polo (Ill.) said, “What I look for is something unique, something that even if our chosen destination is the same as a local competitor, our itinerary stands out and it’s apparent we have put much thought into each travel day. I also look for a tour that offers something for everyone.”

Kay Schreiber of Kay’s Tours said, “I am always looking for something new and different…whether it is a new itinerary or a new attraction or even a hotel with something new and different to offer.”

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Dave Bodle

Years ago a dear friend told me the tour & travel industry is still high touch, not yet high tech. Tour operators do business with suppliers they know. National, regional and state marketplaces are critical to the industry. Relationships are born and nurtured. Likewise, group leaders regularly trust their members to tour operators they know and trust.

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Marty Sarbey de Souto

All too often we may hear from well-meaning folks that shopping on tour is a waste of time – that the men don’t like standing around waiting while the women dilly dally in the shops, that shopping is superficial, that folks can shop at home – no need to come on tour to shop, and so forth. I beg to differ. Most folks love to shop while on tour, within reason, of course.

Why do they enjoy shopping? First of all, they enjoy bringing things home for themselves – things that remind them of the trip or the specific place where they bought it. Second, they like to shop for others – for friends and family for future birthdays, holidays, wedding presents, showers and the like. Third, they know that bringing something home to others shows thoughtfulness, friendship and affection. Fourth, the things you bring home from other places are often something you could never get at home, whether at the mall, your favorite big box store or your hometown elegant gift shop.

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